In 2023, there were 3,172 deaths from viral hepatitis in the EU, the lowest figure recorded since the data collection started in 2011. This represents a 9.3% decrease compared with 2022 (3,499), and a 53.7% drop since 2013 (6,856).
The disease disproportionately affected men, who accounted for 58.3% of all viral hepatitis deaths. It affected both the elderly and the working age population. People under the age of 65 accounted for 35.7% of hepatitis-related fatalities, compared with 14.8% among deaths from all causes.
At the EU level, viral hepatitis caused 0.64 deaths per 100 000 people in 2023. The highest standardized death rates were recorded in Italy (1.62 deaths per 100,000 people), Latvia (1.54) and Austria (1.02). The lowest rates were in Luxembourg (no recorded deaths from hepatitis in 2023), Finland (0.07) and Slovenia (0.13).
Source dataset: hlth_cd_asdr2
Looking at the regional data, 15 regions recorded at least 1.5 deaths from viral hepatitis per 100,000 inhabitants: 10 regions in Italy, 2 in France and 1 in Austria, Romania and Latvia (considered as 1 region at this level of analysis). The French outermost regions Mayotte and Guyane had the highest death rates, with 4.86 and 2.80 deaths per 100,000 people. Next were regions in southern Italy and islands: Campania (2.65), Puglia (2.58) and Sardegna (2.48).
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Source dataset: hlth_cd_asdr2
This article marks the World Hepatitis Day, observed each year on 28 July to raise awareness and encourage action on prevention and treatment of viral hepatitis.
For more information
- Statistics Explained article on cause of death statistics
- Thematic section on health
- Database on health
Methodological notes
- Data on the number of deaths from viral hepatitis come from the dataset on causes of deaths: hlth_cd_aro.
- The number of deaths refers to all deaths of residents in or outside their home country.
- In this article, the regional data are presented at level 2 of the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS 2) – 2024 edition. Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg and Malta are single regions at this level of detail.